• Land your canoe on the cypress and paperbark-lined sandy river bank near Teewah Creek at this remote camp site. Photo credit: © Queensland Government
• Enjoy the wilderness of Upper Noosa River camp site 15, a quiet location great for couples who want an adventure holiday. Photo credit: © Queensland Government

Paddle an adventurous 3km upstream from camp site 13in the Upper Noosa River waterway. Land your canoe on the inside bend of the river, near the junction with Teewah Creek.  Follow the track inland to your shady private camp site among twisted swamp paperbarks, white cypress and pink bloodwoods.

Gaze up at the night sky, listen for the chorus of frogs and simply bask in the solitude. You can’t get much more remote than this—and motorised boats won’t disturb the silence! Your canoeing and kayaking adventure ends here as fallen trees and other natural debris block your way further upstream.

Getting there and getting around

Upper Noosa River camp site 15 is in Cooloola Recreation Area, Great Sandy National Park, on the Sunshine Coast between Noosa Heads and Rainbow Beach (155–240km north of Brisbane).

• The camp site is in the southern section of Cooloola, in the Upper Noosa River waterway, 27.7km north of the Kinaba Visitor Information Centre.
• Canoeists and boaties (with electric motors) can access the camp site via Kinaba from Boreen Point and Elanda Point on Lake Cootharaba.

Via Kinaba

By canoe

• Launch your canoe at Elanda Point and paddle 4.5km (1hr) to the Kinaba Visitor Information Centre.
• Stay close to the shore line while paddling northwards. Plan to cross Lake Cootharaba early in the morning when conditions are likely to be calm and easy to travel.
• From Kinaba, paddle 1hr 20mins from Kinaba to Harrys camping area, then a further 3hrs 40 mins to camp site 15.
• Read water safety for important information about staying safe in and near water and caring for parks.

By boat

• You can take your motor boat on the Upper Noosa River waterway as far as camp site 3; to proceed to camp site 15 you need a boat with an electric motor.
• Launch your boat from the Boreen Point boat ramp and follow the lake navigation markers out into deeper water and then head on a north-east trajectory towards the visible Cooloola Sandpatch in the distant landscape.
• When you approach a red navigational marker in the middle of the lake (opposite Elanda Point), turn on a near northerly trajectory to the channel markers through very shallow shoals to the Kinaba Visitor Information Centre. The trip is 7km and 15mins travel time.
• From Kinaba allow 1.5hrs at 6 knots (and no wash) to travel to camp site 3. From here it is about another 2hrs 10mins travel time to camp site 15.
• Read boat and fish with care for tips on boating and fishing safety and caring for parks.

Getting to Boreen Point and Elanda Point

• From Brisbane drive 135km north on the Bruce Highway or the Sunshine Motorway to Tewantin; or from Gympie drive 58km south and east on the Bruce Highway to Tewantin.
• From Tewantin drive 19km west and north via McKinnon Drive and Louis Bazzo Drive to Boreen Point. Turn left onto Lake Flat Road and drive 2km to the Elanda Point access road.

Before you visit

Opening hours

Upper Noosa River camp site 15 is open 24 hours a day. Check in to your camp after 2pm and check out by 11am on the day of departure.

Camping area features

1 site - maximum of 4 people.

Upcoming camping area availability

Visiting safely

For more safety information see Visiting Cooloola Recreation Area safely and camp with care.